36. THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION
Does God really give us the freedom to choose our future?
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How much freedom does God give us to make choices in our life? Does God direct our every movement like someone operating a remote control car or plane? A remote control car can only turn when the operator commands it to. Can we only do what God has predetermined or tells us to do?
For example, does God determine where we will go to school, our occupation, and even who we will marry? Does God determine beforehand how, when, and where we will die? To what extent do our actions and choices play a role in what happens?
Does God give us freedom to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes? How can we know? If God does give us a choice in our lives, will He help us make the right choices to avoid unpleasant circumstances?
We will look at a story today from the book of 1 Samuel where God does permit something to happen against His own expressed wishes. Why would the God of the universe who holds all power in His hands, who can create or destroy anything by merely speaking a word, allow something to happen against His will? There are several reasons why God might allow something to happen that is not according to His will. To help understand one of them let us consider the following story.
Aylin was dressed all in white. The color of the dress was in deep contrast to her black hair and hazel eyes. She had looked forward to
this day her whole life. As she looked into the mirror she shifted the shoulder of her dress to make sure it was just in the right place.
She gave one last long look and then smiled. Everything seemed to be alright. Just then she was startled by her father’s voice behind her.
“Aylin.”
“Ah! Ödümü patlattın Baba. Yes, father.”
“Aylin, I want to talk to you alone for a minute.”
“O.K. father we are alone. What is it?”
“Aylin, you look very beautiful in your wedding dress.”
“Thank you father. I was just checking to see how it will sit on my shoulders.”
“It looks beautiful. Aylin, your wedding is just a week away. The guests are invited and the menu is set. We will go to the wedding salon soon.” Her father paused a long time. “Aylin, it is not too late if you don’t want to marry Hakan.”
Aylin looked at her father carefully. His eyes were soft. His voice had been low and tender as he spoke to Aylin. Aylin knew her father loved her and wanted the best for her. Her father was concerned about Aylin’s ancé because he thought Hakan was not a man of character. He suspected Hakan would be lazy and manipulating. From the very beginning of Aylin’s relationship with Hakan, her father had not wanted them to be married.
“Thank you father. I know you want what is best for me. But, I am going to marry Hakan.”
Aylin’s father looked into his daughter’s eyes to see if there was any hesitation in her decision. Aylin had been a good student in school; she nished METU before she was 21 years old. He respected his daughter’s intelligence and her right to make a decision. He knew that he could have fought Aylin about this marriage and tried to prevent it. But what would it do to his relationship with Aylin? How would she recover from the emotional battle that would ensue? How could he ever prove to her that the marriage would have been bad?
The truth is that he could never prove what had never happened. She would always wonder what would have happened if she had married Hakan, especially if her marriage to someone else did not go well. Aylin’s father knew Aylin was a strong-willed woman. He smiled meekly and kissed his daughter’s forehead.
“O.K. Aylin.”
After the wedding Hakan became a different person. It was as if Aylin had never met the man she was married to. He would not let her go anywhere without his permission. Hakan took all the money Aylin made and spent it on nice clothes for himself. Sometimes he unexpectedly bought sh in the marketplace which he expected her to cook and clean immediately. The refrigerator was almost always empty and Aylin often called her father to get money to go to the pazar. Hakan would go late to work and come home early. There was never any money. Hakan refused to let them have guests and there was a gloomy atmosphere in their home that never lifted.
After a having a child and struggling for years to make the marriage work, the coldness and unhappiness in the marriage increased. Hakan and Aylin agreed to divorce. Aylin didn't know how to explain it to her father. But she didn't have to, he already knew it was coming. When her father came to get her things and help her move back into the home, he said no scolding words to Aylin. He did not say, “I told you so!” He was just sad.
Aylin’s father had respected Aylin enough to let her make her own decisions in life, even when he disagreed. And he never forced his own will upon her.
As we will see later, sometimes there are other reasons that a parent may let a child choose a course that the parent thinks is wrong. In the following Bible story let's see how God relates to His people when they want to do something contrary to His will. Surprisingly, God allows His people to do what they want. Does He allow it because He respects them to be able to make a decision? Perhaps there is an element of that here. But as we will see, the situation is not quite like Aylin’s and her father’s. There is an added dimension.
Let's start by reading 1 Samuel chapter 8 verses 1-7:
1 Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his rstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
After Joshua brought the Israelites into the promised land, the people faithfully worshiped God for many years. But after Joshua's generation passed, a new generation rose up and the people began to worship other gods. After they started worshipping other gods, the God of heaven being true to His covenant, removed some of His protection and blessings. As a result, the people fell prey to their enemies. Then God raised up judges for Israel. The judges' responsibilities were to lead the Israelites in battle, make important decisions, and govern the people according to the law of God. They were God's appointed helpers but they were not kings. God was their king!
Soon after God delivered the Israelites from their oppressors, the people would once again return to idolatry. Then the whole cycle of oppression by their enemies, their crying to God for deliverance, God delivering them through the hand of another judge, and the return to idolatry would continue. And thus it went for centuries. At last Samuel was judge in Israel. Although he was a godly person from his youth, his sons did not follow in his footsteps. They were not good judges and dif culties arose. In the previous verses we saw that God had clearly declared that He Himself was king and that the people were rejecting His kingship. God had many reasons why He didn't want the people to have an earthly king. But He gave permission anyway. Why?
It wasn’t the rst time that God allowed the Israelites to do something that was against His expressed will. Do you remember when the Israelites desired esh food? God had already given them manna from heaven. It was not meatballs (note: pick the most liked food of a culture), but they weren't starving and as long as they ate it they would not be sick. However the people continued to complain. So, God decided to give them what they desired. Unbeknownst to them, the meat came with a judgment and many of the people died while the esh was still in their mouths. In other words, God gave a rebellious group of people what they wanted even though it was against His will. Why? Let’s nd out by reading 1 Samuel chapter 8 verses 8-20:
8 "According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day -- with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods -- so they are doing to you also, 9 "Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them." 10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and 161 captains over his fties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take the best of your elds, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his of cers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your nest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day." 19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and ght our battles.
The description of what a future king would do was a warning to the people. God was giving them an opportunity to change their minds. But they would not listen and refused to obey the voice of Samuel who was obviously resisting their desire for a king. Think about what they were rejecting! They had a king for their country who was all powerful, all knowing, who had taken them from slavery and given them the land. And that King was in heaven. All this they were rejecting for an earthly kingdom.
Let's see how God responded in 1 Samuel chapter 8 verses 21 and 22:
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD. 22 So the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed their voice, and make them a king." And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."
Yes, God would give them their king. If you read ahead in your Bible you will learn of Israel's first king Saul. Saul started out on the right track, but as you will read, the prophecy about what kings would do, one by one began to be fulfilled. In a future lesson you will read about how far off track that king actually went. Israel was stubborn. What do you do with a stubborn child who just doesn’t listen?
Consider this story.
Ferdi was 7 years old and the youngest of Osman’s three sons. One day the four of them were walking home from the fields along the roadside. Across the street was a large cream-colored dog. Osman said to his sons,
“Don’t go near that dog. He bites.”
The older boys stayed near their father. But Ferdi was different. He immediately went toward the dog. Osman followed right behind his son because he knew his son’s behavior well.
Ferdi came up to the dog and tried to put his hand out to pet the dog. The dog snarled and tried to bite Ferdi. Just at the right time, Ferdi’s father pulled his son’s arm back and saved him from a nasty bite.
“Son, why don’t you listen to me?” his father said. “Didn’t I tell you that the dog would bite you?”
The group continued on toward the house when they came across Abdullah amca watering his cherry orchard from the canal system. There was water over the whole orchard. Ferdi headed straight for the field.
“Don’t get in that water Ferdi. You don’t have boots on. Your shoes will get all messed up and your mother will kill both of us” his father said. “You won’t be able to play in the soccer match tomorrow with wet and muddy shoes.”
But again Ferdi didn’t listen. He kept on going towards the eld. This time Osman didn’t chase after his son. He watched as Ferdi climbed over the water channel and into the field. He sank in mud right up to his knee.
“Dad, pull me out of here, I’m stuck!” he cried.
Ferdi’s father and older brothers went over and pulled him out of the mud. Ferdi’s shoes were wet and muddy. It was only a short
walk back to the house and when they arrived Ferdi’s mother was watching them from the balcony. Her words weren’t directed to her
son but to her husband.
“Osman, what is the matter with you that you don’t look after your son? Look at the shape he is in! What were you thinking?”
“Cemile, you know your son is stubborn and won’t listen. The only way he learns is by suffering. I didn’t let him get bit by a dog but I let him sink in the mud!”
Ferdi's mother said, "You won't play in the soccer match tomorrow with those muddy shoes. And you won't even be able to watch the match. As wet as you got you need to stay home or you'll get sick."
What do you do with a stubborn child? The answer to that depends on what you want. If you want the child to remain dependent on you for everything the rest of his life you simply give commands and force obedience. But if you want the child to grow and develop and to be able to make decisions for himself, the child must learn to think independently of you. And that requires giving the child opportunities to learn and make mistakes. Sometimes you let them learn by suffering the results of their actions. But you don’t want a stubborn child to suffer permanent injury in the learning process. So you limit the freedom you give to that child to make mistakes. You allow them to be uncomfortable at times so that they will learn to reason from cause to effect. You may let them get their shoes muddy. But you don’t let them get bit by a dog.
We see that God allowed Israel to make a mistake in choosing a king. God warned Israel what would be the consequences. But they were stubborn and demanded a king anyway. They wouldn’t listen to God. It seems that Israel would not learn any other way; they must learn by suffering the consequences of bad choices.
Does God allow us to make choices? Certainly He does. God told Abraham to go to Palestine. Abraham was allowed to wander in the promised land wherever he wanted to go. God did not tell him under which tree to sit.
Abraham told Abimelech and Pharaoh that Sara was his sister (Genesis 20: 2, 3). That wasn’t God’s will. But God allowed Abraham to make that wrong choice and hopefully learn from the mistake. Abraham said to Lot in Genesis 13:9:
"Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left."
God allowed these two men to make choices.
Since God allows us to choose, it follows that we are able to make wrong choices. How important is it for us to ask God to guide and lead us? How important is it that we make correct choices? How can we make correct choices? First, we can learn the ways of the Lord in the scriptures and live our life accordingly. When we stray outside of righteousness we can expect negative results to soon follow. The most basic of which is that if we stray away from God we can expect only negative results. Second, we can pray for guidance and by faith believe that God will help us. Third, we can take the nation of Israel as an example and not stubbornly persist to have our own way. Unlike them, let's yield to God’s way.
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think the Israelites were so insistent on having a king “like other nations”?
2. Have you ever ignored some good advice? When? What were the consequences?
3. Samuel’s sons did not judge righteously like Samuel did. Was there any guarantee that the king would be any better than Samuel’s
sons?
4. There is a saying “Ne ekersen onu da bicersin.” Are there any changes you should make in your life right now so that you will not
reap negative results?
For example, does God determine where we will go to school, our occupation, and even who we will marry? Does God determine beforehand how, when, and where we will die? To what extent do our actions and choices play a role in what happens?
Does God give us freedom to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes? How can we know? If God does give us a choice in our lives, will He help us make the right choices to avoid unpleasant circumstances?
We will look at a story today from the book of 1 Samuel where God does permit something to happen against His own expressed wishes. Why would the God of the universe who holds all power in His hands, who can create or destroy anything by merely speaking a word, allow something to happen against His will? There are several reasons why God might allow something to happen that is not according to His will. To help understand one of them let us consider the following story.
Aylin was dressed all in white. The color of the dress was in deep contrast to her black hair and hazel eyes. She had looked forward to
this day her whole life. As she looked into the mirror she shifted the shoulder of her dress to make sure it was just in the right place.
She gave one last long look and then smiled. Everything seemed to be alright. Just then she was startled by her father’s voice behind her.
“Aylin.”
“Ah! Ödümü patlattın Baba. Yes, father.”
“Aylin, I want to talk to you alone for a minute.”
“O.K. father we are alone. What is it?”
“Aylin, you look very beautiful in your wedding dress.”
“Thank you father. I was just checking to see how it will sit on my shoulders.”
“It looks beautiful. Aylin, your wedding is just a week away. The guests are invited and the menu is set. We will go to the wedding salon soon.” Her father paused a long time. “Aylin, it is not too late if you don’t want to marry Hakan.”
Aylin looked at her father carefully. His eyes were soft. His voice had been low and tender as he spoke to Aylin. Aylin knew her father loved her and wanted the best for her. Her father was concerned about Aylin’s ancé because he thought Hakan was not a man of character. He suspected Hakan would be lazy and manipulating. From the very beginning of Aylin’s relationship with Hakan, her father had not wanted them to be married.
“Thank you father. I know you want what is best for me. But, I am going to marry Hakan.”
Aylin’s father looked into his daughter’s eyes to see if there was any hesitation in her decision. Aylin had been a good student in school; she nished METU before she was 21 years old. He respected his daughter’s intelligence and her right to make a decision. He knew that he could have fought Aylin about this marriage and tried to prevent it. But what would it do to his relationship with Aylin? How would she recover from the emotional battle that would ensue? How could he ever prove to her that the marriage would have been bad?
The truth is that he could never prove what had never happened. She would always wonder what would have happened if she had married Hakan, especially if her marriage to someone else did not go well. Aylin’s father knew Aylin was a strong-willed woman. He smiled meekly and kissed his daughter’s forehead.
“O.K. Aylin.”
After the wedding Hakan became a different person. It was as if Aylin had never met the man she was married to. He would not let her go anywhere without his permission. Hakan took all the money Aylin made and spent it on nice clothes for himself. Sometimes he unexpectedly bought sh in the marketplace which he expected her to cook and clean immediately. The refrigerator was almost always empty and Aylin often called her father to get money to go to the pazar. Hakan would go late to work and come home early. There was never any money. Hakan refused to let them have guests and there was a gloomy atmosphere in their home that never lifted.
After a having a child and struggling for years to make the marriage work, the coldness and unhappiness in the marriage increased. Hakan and Aylin agreed to divorce. Aylin didn't know how to explain it to her father. But she didn't have to, he already knew it was coming. When her father came to get her things and help her move back into the home, he said no scolding words to Aylin. He did not say, “I told you so!” He was just sad.
Aylin’s father had respected Aylin enough to let her make her own decisions in life, even when he disagreed. And he never forced his own will upon her.
As we will see later, sometimes there are other reasons that a parent may let a child choose a course that the parent thinks is wrong. In the following Bible story let's see how God relates to His people when they want to do something contrary to His will. Surprisingly, God allows His people to do what they want. Does He allow it because He respects them to be able to make a decision? Perhaps there is an element of that here. But as we will see, the situation is not quite like Aylin’s and her father’s. There is an added dimension.
Let's start by reading 1 Samuel chapter 8 verses 1-7:
1 Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his rstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." So Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
After Joshua brought the Israelites into the promised land, the people faithfully worshiped God for many years. But after Joshua's generation passed, a new generation rose up and the people began to worship other gods. After they started worshipping other gods, the God of heaven being true to His covenant, removed some of His protection and blessings. As a result, the people fell prey to their enemies. Then God raised up judges for Israel. The judges' responsibilities were to lead the Israelites in battle, make important decisions, and govern the people according to the law of God. They were God's appointed helpers but they were not kings. God was their king!
Soon after God delivered the Israelites from their oppressors, the people would once again return to idolatry. Then the whole cycle of oppression by their enemies, their crying to God for deliverance, God delivering them through the hand of another judge, and the return to idolatry would continue. And thus it went for centuries. At last Samuel was judge in Israel. Although he was a godly person from his youth, his sons did not follow in his footsteps. They were not good judges and dif culties arose. In the previous verses we saw that God had clearly declared that He Himself was king and that the people were rejecting His kingship. God had many reasons why He didn't want the people to have an earthly king. But He gave permission anyway. Why?
It wasn’t the rst time that God allowed the Israelites to do something that was against His expressed will. Do you remember when the Israelites desired esh food? God had already given them manna from heaven. It was not meatballs (note: pick the most liked food of a culture), but they weren't starving and as long as they ate it they would not be sick. However the people continued to complain. So, God decided to give them what they desired. Unbeknownst to them, the meat came with a judgment and many of the people died while the esh was still in their mouths. In other words, God gave a rebellious group of people what they wanted even though it was against His will. Why? Let’s nd out by reading 1 Samuel chapter 8 verses 8-20:
8 "According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day -- with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods -- so they are doing to you also, 9 "Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them." 10 So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king. 11 And he said, "This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. 12 He will appoint captains over his thousands and 161 captains over his fties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 And he will take the best of your elds, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his of cers and servants. 16 And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your nest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18 And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day." 19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and ght our battles.
The description of what a future king would do was a warning to the people. God was giving them an opportunity to change their minds. But they would not listen and refused to obey the voice of Samuel who was obviously resisting their desire for a king. Think about what they were rejecting! They had a king for their country who was all powerful, all knowing, who had taken them from slavery and given them the land. And that King was in heaven. All this they were rejecting for an earthly kingdom.
Let's see how God responded in 1 Samuel chapter 8 verses 21 and 22:
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD. 22 So the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed their voice, and make them a king." And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."
Yes, God would give them their king. If you read ahead in your Bible you will learn of Israel's first king Saul. Saul started out on the right track, but as you will read, the prophecy about what kings would do, one by one began to be fulfilled. In a future lesson you will read about how far off track that king actually went. Israel was stubborn. What do you do with a stubborn child who just doesn’t listen?
Consider this story.
Ferdi was 7 years old and the youngest of Osman’s three sons. One day the four of them were walking home from the fields along the roadside. Across the street was a large cream-colored dog. Osman said to his sons,
“Don’t go near that dog. He bites.”
The older boys stayed near their father. But Ferdi was different. He immediately went toward the dog. Osman followed right behind his son because he knew his son’s behavior well.
Ferdi came up to the dog and tried to put his hand out to pet the dog. The dog snarled and tried to bite Ferdi. Just at the right time, Ferdi’s father pulled his son’s arm back and saved him from a nasty bite.
“Son, why don’t you listen to me?” his father said. “Didn’t I tell you that the dog would bite you?”
The group continued on toward the house when they came across Abdullah amca watering his cherry orchard from the canal system. There was water over the whole orchard. Ferdi headed straight for the field.
“Don’t get in that water Ferdi. You don’t have boots on. Your shoes will get all messed up and your mother will kill both of us” his father said. “You won’t be able to play in the soccer match tomorrow with wet and muddy shoes.”
But again Ferdi didn’t listen. He kept on going towards the eld. This time Osman didn’t chase after his son. He watched as Ferdi climbed over the water channel and into the field. He sank in mud right up to his knee.
“Dad, pull me out of here, I’m stuck!” he cried.
Ferdi’s father and older brothers went over and pulled him out of the mud. Ferdi’s shoes were wet and muddy. It was only a short
walk back to the house and when they arrived Ferdi’s mother was watching them from the balcony. Her words weren’t directed to her
son but to her husband.
“Osman, what is the matter with you that you don’t look after your son? Look at the shape he is in! What were you thinking?”
“Cemile, you know your son is stubborn and won’t listen. The only way he learns is by suffering. I didn’t let him get bit by a dog but I let him sink in the mud!”
Ferdi's mother said, "You won't play in the soccer match tomorrow with those muddy shoes. And you won't even be able to watch the match. As wet as you got you need to stay home or you'll get sick."
What do you do with a stubborn child? The answer to that depends on what you want. If you want the child to remain dependent on you for everything the rest of his life you simply give commands and force obedience. But if you want the child to grow and develop and to be able to make decisions for himself, the child must learn to think independently of you. And that requires giving the child opportunities to learn and make mistakes. Sometimes you let them learn by suffering the results of their actions. But you don’t want a stubborn child to suffer permanent injury in the learning process. So you limit the freedom you give to that child to make mistakes. You allow them to be uncomfortable at times so that they will learn to reason from cause to effect. You may let them get their shoes muddy. But you don’t let them get bit by a dog.
We see that God allowed Israel to make a mistake in choosing a king. God warned Israel what would be the consequences. But they were stubborn and demanded a king anyway. They wouldn’t listen to God. It seems that Israel would not learn any other way; they must learn by suffering the consequences of bad choices.
Does God allow us to make choices? Certainly He does. God told Abraham to go to Palestine. Abraham was allowed to wander in the promised land wherever he wanted to go. God did not tell him under which tree to sit.
Abraham told Abimelech and Pharaoh that Sara was his sister (Genesis 20: 2, 3). That wasn’t God’s will. But God allowed Abraham to make that wrong choice and hopefully learn from the mistake. Abraham said to Lot in Genesis 13:9:
"Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left."
God allowed these two men to make choices.
Since God allows us to choose, it follows that we are able to make wrong choices. How important is it for us to ask God to guide and lead us? How important is it that we make correct choices? How can we make correct choices? First, we can learn the ways of the Lord in the scriptures and live our life accordingly. When we stray outside of righteousness we can expect negative results to soon follow. The most basic of which is that if we stray away from God we can expect only negative results. Second, we can pray for guidance and by faith believe that God will help us. Third, we can take the nation of Israel as an example and not stubbornly persist to have our own way. Unlike them, let's yield to God’s way.
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think the Israelites were so insistent on having a king “like other nations”?
2. Have you ever ignored some good advice? When? What were the consequences?
3. Samuel’s sons did not judge righteously like Samuel did. Was there any guarantee that the king would be any better than Samuel’s
sons?
4. There is a saying “Ne ekersen onu da bicersin.” Are there any changes you should make in your life right now so that you will not
reap negative results?